A common difficulty when tensioning flexible items, most notably barbed wire, is the loss of tension when connecting two lengths of adjacent, tensioned flexible items together. It has long been a difficult problem in the art to bring two pieces of wire in close proximity, with enough overlap between the lines to allow the formation of a tight and secure connection therebetween, without creating slack and losing tension in either side of the lines when forming the connection.
The most common method of attachment between flexible items involves providing a sufficient quantity of slack, non-tensioned line from each flexible item, used to twist together at an attachment point, where a connection between lines is to be formed. The attachment point is normally located at or in close proximity to a device utilized to apply tension to one or both of the lines, with the slack line used to form the connection extending past the tensioning device. The free ends of two flexible items are normally pulled approximately even with one another, and the connection is then formed by twisting or clamping the slack portions of the lines together, or using other similar methods of attachment. The method used to connect the ends of two pieces of line is critical for maintaining tension in each line and preventing subsequent breaks in the lines. The two arrangements generally used to connect adjacent lines are commonly known as a figure eight arrangement, and the “Western Union Wrap.”
A figure eight arrangement is formed by bending the free end of one line to form a loop, while wrapping a portion of the free end that extends past the loop around the opposing end of the line. The free end of the other line is passed through this loop, then same procedure is performed with the other line, to form two connecting loops between the lines. This type of connection is disadvantageous, as a crimp is often created in each loop when tension is introduced into the line, which can cause the line to break. While a reduced amount of tension can be introduced into the line to prevent breakage, this is highly undesirable, as insufficient tension along the flexible items can mitigate their effectiveness. However, use of appropriate tension can also lead to the creation of undesired slack in the line, as the introduction of tension can flatten and crimp the loops, which lengthens the line, thereby reducing the overall tension.
The Western Union Wrap is generally regarded as superior to the figure eight arrangement. To form this type of connection, approximately eight inches of two parallel lines are overlapped, and at the midpoint of the overlap, one of the lines is wrapped in a tight helix around the other. The second line is then wrapped in a tight helix around the first, again beginning at the midpoint of the overlap. The two helixes are continued in opposing directions. When tension is introduced to the line, the two helixes pull against each other in opposition, which tightens the helixes and completes the connection. This type of connection generally does not cause crimping and is much less susceptible to breakage or the generation of slack when compared to the figure eight arrangement. However, use of the Western Union Wrap still requires engagement of the non-tensioned, slack ends of each line, which always introduces some amount of slack once the connection is made, as the tension maintained on the remainder of the lines must be distributed over the non-tensioned portions of line used to from the connection.
Existing tensioning apparatuses include devices such as the Durbans Red-D-Rod, and similar devices that are designed to pull flexible items toward one another. This method results in at least some slack being maintained in the lines, since devices of this type are only able to apply tension up to the point where the connection is to be made, without pulling the lines past one another. Then, slack portions of the lines are used to form the connection, as described above, rather than tensioned portions of line. Additionally, once the connection is made and the flexible items are released from the apparatus, the lack of tension immediately adjacent to the connection is transferred and distributed throughout the connected items.
A need exists for an apparatus and method usable to apply tension to flexible items that improves upon existing methods and devices by providing tension at the point of connection between adjacent flexible items in excess of what is possible using existing devices and methods.
A further need exists for an apparatus and method usable to pull adjacent lines past one another, rather than simply even with one another, to provide additional tension.
A need also exists for an apparatus and method able to compensate for the torque that occurs within lines during the application of tension, thereby enabling tension to be applied in excess of what is normally possible.
The present invention meets these needs.